Cartons



Nov. 8, 1960 R. w. E. MossE E14-AL 2,959,336

Inventors ma, Aw, kmr

Attorney;

Nov. 8, 1960 R. w. E. MossE ETAL 2,959,336

CARToNs 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1957 n venturi Nov. 8, 1960 R'.w. E. Mossa ETA. 2,959,336

CARTONS ,I

Filed May 28, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 `lm u( C lnventors 471m., ffm-MW Altorneyx R. w. E.y Mossa ET AL 2,959,336

Nov. 8, 1960 CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iled May 28, 1957 4d, M, ma, Lw,am A ttorneyf nited States Patent CARTONS Richard Wolfgang Emil Mosseand Donald Charles Baker, London, England, assignors to The Metal BoxCompany Limited, London, England, a British com- P3115 Filed May 28,1957, Ser. No. 662,122 Claims priority, application Great Britain June8, 1956 11 Claims. (Cl. 229-14) ever, it has not been possible to linethe inside edge of the y primary carton-forming material without forminga seam consisting of at least three thicknesses of the primarycarton-forming material and this results in a bulky seam which isunsightly and increases the difliculty of forming a good heat seal alongthe seam.

It is a main object of the present invention to provide an improved formof liquid-tight carton in which the inside edge of the primarycarton-forming material for a lined container can be fully protected bythe liner material without increasing the thickness of the seam abovethe two thicknesses of material usually employed in the making of a seamby the overlying of one portion of material on another.

According to the present invention there is provided a blank for afour-sided carton the ends of which are arranged to be closed by twoouter flaps extending from opposite sides of the carton to besubstantially in edgewise abutting relation and to overlie inner flapshingedly connected thereto and infolded from the other opposite sides ofthe carton, said blank comprising a liner of heatsealable material, forexample polyethylene, having adhering to one side thereof a carton bodyand a parallelsided strip each made of cardboard, strawboard or likematerial, the carton body including fold lines about which the foursides and the outer and inner flaps are foldable, the strip beingparallel to the fold lines about which the sides are foldable andretained by the liner to be spaced from an edge of the carton bodyparallel with the fold lines about which the sides are foldable by adistance not less than the width of the strip, and the liner extendingbeyond said outer and inner flaps.

The invention also contemplates a collapsed openended tube made from ablank as just set forth, a method of making such tubes, and cartons madefrom the tubes.

Some embodiments of the inventionwill now be described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings inwhich:

Fig. l illustrates a blank from which one form of carton according tothe invention can be constructed and also illustrates a modificationapplied to the blank,

Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of one end of the blank according to Fig. 1when the blank is folded to form a foursided tube,

Fig. 3 is a pictorial view illustrating the method of closing the end ofthe carton,

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Fig. 4 is a pictorial view illustrating the end of the Carton after allclosing operations have been completed,

Fig. 5 is a pictorial view of a modified closure formation for thecarton,

Figs. 6 to 9 together diagrammatically illustrate a continuous method ofmaking carton blanks and carton tubes for forming cartons in accordancewith the invention, and

Fig. l0 illustrates a stack of superimposed fan-folded flattened cartontubes.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a blank for making a liquid-tightcarton consists of a portion 1 of cardf board, strawboard or likematerial which is to form the carton body, a strip 2 also of cardboard,strawboard or similar material, and a liner 3 of liquid-resistant heat?scalable material, such for example as polyethylene, which liner isadhered to and extends across the body 1, the strip 2, and a spacebetween the body 1 and strip 2.

The carton body 1 is provided with panels 4 and 5 which are to form twoopposite sides of the carton, with a panel 6 which is to form a thirdside of the carton, and with panels 7, 7a which together will form thefourth side of the carton. The carton body is provided with fold lines 8about which the panels 4, 5, 6, 7 and 7a are folded to form the foursides of the carton and the strip 2 is parallel to the fold-lines 8 andis retained by the liner 3 to be spaced from the edge 9 of the cartonbody by a distance D which is not less than the width of the strip 2,The panels 7, 7a are provided at the opposite ends thereof withextensions 10, 10a which together are to form a seam-covering flap asdescribed below. If desired, one end of the panel 6 may be provided witha similar seamcovering flap 11. As described above, the liner 3 coversone side of the carton body and one side of the strip 2 extends beyondflaps 12 articulated to panels 5 and which are to form inner aps onclosing of the ends of the carton, and also beyond flaps 13 which arearticulated to panels 6 and 7, 7a and which are to form outer flaps onclosing of the ends of the carton.

When folding the blank shown in Fig. l to form the carton the strip k2is folded to overlie the ap 7, which is the flap remote therefrom, andthe lined portion of the strip is brought into contact with the linedportion of the ap 7, as illustrated in Fig. 7, and is heat-sealedthereto to form a longitudinal seam between overlying portions of bodymaterial 1, 2. The portion 14 of the liner which extends across thespace between carton body edge 9 and strip 2 is then folded to overliethe uncoated surface of the strip 2 and in so folding the said portionof the liner, .the inner edge 15 of the strip 2 is covered by the linerportion 14 and the interior of the foursided tube, as illustrated inFig. 8, is provided with a continuous liquidtight interior surface. Thefolding of the liner portion as just described causes the outer edge 16of thel strip 2 to be juxtaposed with the edge 9 of the panel 7a. In apreferred embodiment of the invention the panel 7 is provided with a ap17 by which the panel 7 is secured to the panel 7a bv the provisiontherebetween of any suitable form of adhesion 18, Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description, and from Fig. 2, it will be understoodthat due to the provision of strip 2 and liner portion 14. and to themanner of disposal thereof, the four-sided tube is provided with alongitudinal seam which is composed of onlv two overlving thicknesses ofcardboard and the seam is entirely liquid-tight because it includes nounlined portion of cardboard.

After formation of the four-sided carton tube in the manner iustdescribed, one end of the container is closed by folding towards eachother the inner closure flaps 12 which closure aps, as can be seen fromFig. 2, extend from opposite sides of the carton and are hingedlyconnected to the outer flaps 13. The inner aps 12 are provided with foldlines 19 which permit the inner aps to be folded inwards so that theouter flaps 13 can overlie them and be in substantially edge-wiseabutting relation as illustrated in Fig. 3, the outer Vflaps 13 when sofolded lying in a plane which is substantially atfrightangles to thesides of the carton. Closing of the container by folding the inner andouter flaps in the manner just described causes the portions of theliner which are adhered thereto and which extend beyond the inner aps 12to be infolded upon each other, and the portions 3 of the liner whichare adhered to and which extend beyond the outer aps 13 to be foldedagainst the infolded portions and against each other. The portion of theliner which is folded as just described is provided with a heat seal lasindicated at 20, Fig. 3, thereby to form a flat heat-sealed liquid-tightseam, as illustrated in Fig. 3, such seam being substantiallyco-extensive with the substantially abutting edges of the outer aps 13and also exterior of the closed end of the carton. After forming theheat seal 20, the flat heat-sealed seam can be folded down intoengagement with one of the outer flaps 13 by the seam-covering flap 10,10a and may be caused by the use of a suitable adhesive to adhere to thesaid outer ap or, if desired, the seam and flap 10, a may be retained inthe down-folded position thereof by a label or the like secured acrossthe closed end of the container. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, however, the heat seal 20 is formed slightly closer to theend of the container than illustrated in Fig. 3, and the down-foldedportion, Fig. 4, is heat-sealed to the end of the container by a secondseal similar to seal 20 and located between seal 20 and the free edge ofthe down-folded portion. The second seal so formed acts as a protectionagainst accidental or unintentional breaking or opening of seal 20. Thecontainer, sealed at one end in the manner just described, is invertedand iilled with the 'liquid to be contained therein and, thereafter, theopen end of the container is closed and sealed in the manner describedabove.

If desired, one end of the container may be closed in the mannerdescribed above and the end of the container which is closed after llingof the container may be closed by outer flaps 13, as illustrated in Fig.5, in which the outer aps are folded to form an inverted V. The linerwill be infolded to form a flattened seam as described with reference toFig. 3 and will be heatsealed as previously described, but the blank forforming this kind of carton is preferably provided with the 'ilap 11 sothat the liner portion which is folded to form the attened seam andwhich extends beyond the inner and outer flaps in the closed positionsthereof is sandwiched between the aps 10, 10a and 11 thereby to permit,in known manner, the use of a clip not shown, or the like in conjunctionwith the flaps 10, 10a and 11.

If desired, o ne side of the carton may, in known manner, be providedwith a line of weakening 21, Fig. 2, and fold lines 22 by which apouring spout may be formed in the carton. The spout is formed byslitting the carton along the line 21 and then folding outwards theportion of material between the lines 22 and a further fold line 23.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 9 of the drawings there is diagrammaticallyillustrated therein a method by which, as a continuous process, blanksand carton tubes may be formed by cartons according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings a web 24 of cardboard, strawboard or likematerial is fed between guiding and scorlng rollers 25, 26, which arearranged to provide on the web the score or fold lines illustrated inFig. l and to cut in the web openings 27 which form the cutout portionsfor the opposite ends of adjoining carton body blanks. The strip 2 isformed by the rollers eecting a cut 28 longitudinally of the web and afurther cut 29 defines the edge 9 of the Gaston, bOdQSs 1h@ Web portion30 which is located between the strip 2 and the body blanks remains inposition to space the strip 2 from the body blanks and is removed, forexample as by rollers 31, 32, Fig. 6, just before the continuous strip 2and continuous flat web of carton bodies is fed beneath an extrudingdevice 33 by which heat-sealable material such as polyethylene isextruded on to the carton bodies and strip to adhere thereto and to forma liner which extends across the bodies, the strip and the space betweenthe bodies and strip and which extends across the openings 27. Afterpassing the extruder device the continuous web of carton blanks isengaged by folders, not shown, which foldit over until the strip 2 issuperimposed on the panel 7, as illustrated in Fig. 7, with the linedportions of the panel 7 and strip 2 engaging each other. The web sofolded is moved beneath any suitable form of heater device 34 by whichthe longitudinal heat-sealed seam is formed. Further folder elements,not shown, then engage `the partly folded blanks and cause the linerportion 14 to be folded over the unlined portion of the strip 2 so thatthe two panels 7, 7a overlie each other with the outer edge 16 of thestrip 2 in substantial abutting relation with the edge 9 of the panel7a. Preferably, prior to panels 7, 7a being caused to overlie eachother,the edge portion of the panel 7a is provided with adhesiveto cause theoverlying portions of panels 7, 7a to adhere to each other. The web isnow folded to form a four-sided tube, substantially as illustrated inFig. 8, and from this figure it will be seen that due to the manner inwhich the strip 2 is located relative to the edge 9 of panel 7a and tothe manner in which the liner portion 14 is folded about the strip thelongitudinal seam for the carton tube is vformed by only two thicknessesof cardboard and the liner, as the result of the seam formation,provides a continuous liquidtight tube.

The panels 4, 5 are engaged by folders 35, Fig. 9, which engage thesides 4, 5 of the tube and infold them, about the fold lines 23, towardseach other to form' bellow-folded sides the folding of which causes thetwo sides 6, and 7, 7a to be drawn into close overlying rela tions'hip,as illustrated in Fig. 9, thereby -to form a continuous flattened tube.The tube, so flattened, is passed between flattening rollers, not shown,which also serve to express air from the interior of the attened tubeand suitable heat-sealing means, not shown, are provided to formtransverse heat seals 36, Fig. 9, in the exposed folded liner portionextending between the endwise adjoining folded and flattened cartontubes. By this means the succession o'f adjoining tubes is renderedair-tight as between tubes and as thetemperature at which theblank-making and tube forming process is eected is relatively high theinteriors of the attened tubes are substantially sterile' and willremain sterile until a flattened tube is severed from the web forfilling. Severing of the adjoining tubes is effected, in any suitablemanner, along a line 37, Fig. 9, so that each carton tube severed fromthe web has one closed end and one open end. On setting-up the carton,the closed end will assume the condition illustrated in Fig. 4 exceptthat end seamed portions remain to be secured to the outer ap 13, as byadhesion, a label, or by'heat sealing, in the manner described above.The con-tainer may then be filled and the open end closed in the mannerdescribed above with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 or to Fig. 5 of thedrawings.

For the purpose of convenience of storage and transit and in order toretain the sterileY condition of a plurality of flattened tubes -untilthe tubes are required for use, the attened tubes, as they issue fromthe forming apparatus, may be folded fanwise about the centre portion ofthe connected seam-covering flaps 10, 10a of adjoining tubes thereby tosuperimpose the attened tubes to vform a pile vas illustrated in Fig.10. The number of flattened or transit. It will be understood that theflattened tube at one end of a fan-folded pile will not retain thesterile condition as one end of each of such end tube will be open, butall of the other tubes will retain their sterile condition until thetubes are severed from the fan-folded pile for use.

It will also be understood that, if desired, a continuous succession offlattened tubes may be made from blanks the liners for which are appliedto the cardboard as by lamination or by calendering instead of beingextruded on to the cardboard as described above.

We claim:

1. A four-sided carton, comprising a carton body made of cardboard orlike material and having two opposite open bellows-folded sidesconnected by two flat sides of which one consists of two overlyingside-forming panels, and inner and outer flaps formed respectively incontinuation of said bellows-folded and Hat sides, said inner tiapsbeing folded towards each other and the outer aps folded ltowards eachother to overlie the inner flaps with one edge of one outer ilapsubstantially abutting the like edge of the other outer flap, a liner ofheat-sealable material such as polyethylene adhered to the innersurfaces of said bellows-folded and at sides, said liner covering andextending beyond said inner and outer flaps and at one end of the cartonbeing folded with the inner and outer flaps and forming a iiat end seamsubstantially coextensive with said substantially abutting edges, a heatseal extending lengthwise of and through said end seam to form aliquid-tight seam, and a cardboard or like strip having one side adheredto said liner and spaced from the adjacent edge of the body, the stripbeing located in the plane of the underlying panel with one longitudinaledge thereof covered by the liner and the opposite edge adjacent to thelongitudinal edge of the underlying panel, said portion of the linerwhich is adhered to the strip being heat-sealed to the liner portionadhered to said overlying panel to form therewith a liquid-tightlongltudinal seam, and the opposite side of the strip being covered bythe portion of the liner between the strip and the carton body.

2. A blank for a carton comprising a rectangular liner of plasticheat-scalable material, a body member attached to one surface of theliner and extending laterally from one side edge thereof to a lineparallel to and spaced within the adjacent edge of the liner and aseparate body strip of narrow width attached to the liner along saidedge and spaced from the edge of the body member by a distancesubstantially equal to and not less than the width of said strip.

3. A blank for a carton comprising a rectangular liner of plasticheat-sealable material, a body member attached to one surface of theliner and extending laterally from one side edge thereof and having aplurality of foldable side panels, one end panel overlying thecorresponding edge of the liner and the opposite end panel lyingparallel to and spaced within the opposite edge of the liner and aseparate body strip of narrow width attached along said opposite edge ofthe liner and spaced from the adjacent edge of the body member by adistance substantially equal to and not less than the width of thestrip.

4. A carton according to claim l, wherein the outer aps are folded tolie in a plane Substantially at right angles to the sides of the carton.

5. A carton according to claim 4, wherein one outer flap has hingedthereto a seam-covering flap to overlie the at seam when the seam isfolded to lie against thev other of the outer aps.

6. A carton according to claim 5, wherein the opposite end thereof issimilarly closed and provided with a liquid tight heat-sealed end seam.

7. A carton according to claim 5, wherein at the opposite end of thecarton the outer aps form an inverted V and each has hinged thereto aseam-covering flap arranged to be folded towards each other and sandwichthe at end seam formed by the infolding of the flaps.

8. A carton according to claim l, wherein the opposite end thereof issimilarly closed and provided with a liquidtight heat-sealed end seam.

9. A carton according tio claim 8, wherein the at end seam, or each flatend seam is provided with a second heat-seal parallel to said first heatseal, said second heat seal being located between the rst heat seal andthe free edge ofthe at end seam and securing the end seam to the end ofthe carton.

10. A carton according to claim l, wherein the fiat end seam, isprovided with a second heat-seal parallel to said first heat seal, saidsecond heat seal being located between the rst heat seal and the freeedge of the flat end seam and securing the end seam to the end of thecarton.

11. A carton according to claim 1, wherein at the opposite end of thecarton the outer flaps form an inverted V and each has hinged thereto aseam-covering flap arranged to be folded towards each other and sandwichthe flat end seam formed by the infolding of the aps.

References Cited n the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,973,391 Reynolds Sept. l1, 1934 2,177,894 Lakso Oct. 31, 19392,209,200 Hanson July 23, 1940

